So I have half a dozen drafts and can’t finish any of them and I’m not sure where to go next.
Twitter is often able to find the solution to problems (and the cause of a lot more). And it has been successful in helping those in distress. Even though the mighty Ken Armstrong insists that “Twitter ain’t gonna find your cat...”
But I asked Twitter to send me some questions to help me get some writing done and all I can say is… they are… unbelievable
@WodkeHawkins If you were my earrings and have been missing a while, where would you be?
I reckon I would be wrapped in a tissue in the bottom of the inside pocket of the bag you used for your cousin’s wedding last year. Either that or you put them in the trash by mistake and they are now in a landfill. Actually you’re from Kansas…. could the Munchkins have them?
@Daracho what are you trying to write?
Anything.. even this will do! 🙂
@patricguntert what is your favourite word and why?
What a great question! It’s not an easy one to answer though! I have two and both of them are made up.
1. Incredibilised – it’s more than shocked and stunned. Far far beyond surprised but not quite to the point of horrified.
2 Smagloo – I made this one up myself. I use it when I can’t remember the word for something. Which happens a lot!
@cathalkeogh Is it true cannibals don’t eat clowns because they taste funny?
No! That is a myth .The reason they don’t eat them is cos they hate the taste of stage make up 2nd question: If all the world’s a stage, where does the audience sit?
On the parcel shelf in you car. Look carefully…. you’ll see them…
@flowersinapot If you were a vehicle, what sort of vehicle would you be?
I would wish to be a big fast car, convertible, red, expensive.
Am actually a very comfortable, old, bashed up estate. With plenty of room in the boot 🙂
@herodfel did you like the movie The Three Amigos
ABSOLUTELY …. My little buttercup has the sweetest smiiiiile
Awh what am I doing! You need to hear the original…. Here you go…
Thanks for all the questions guys… I feel totally oh… what’s the word,…… SMAGLOO! 🙂
I’ve said this before and it’s gotten me into a fair bit of trouble over the years.
Most of you will know how I feel on this subject, but some of you won’t have read my blog before and therefore might be shocked at what I’m about to say.
Here we go… I don’t like U2.
I don’t like their music and I have a bit of an issue with their lead singer!
I’ve never liked them. Never been into their stuff. I concede that there are one or two classic tracks that everyone in the world should love. But generally I find them very same-y and I’m just not into them. I’m not a big fan of Bono either. I just don’t believe the character. It’s like he’s an actor and he’s not ‘playing’ the role very well.
Most of you are probably horrified. and I’ll probably get a bit of stick for this. But that really is where I stand on U2. Minority opinion I know, but there you have it.
So what does it mean?
Well, very little really.
To you – probably that I’m a musical philistine, that I have no taste, that I should shut up 🙂
But I’ll tell you what it DOESN’T mean! It doesn’t mean I hate Bono, or the other lads in the band. It doesn’t mean I hate U2 fans. Some of my best friends are… yeah you got there before me.
Now you can head off to twitter and say what ever you like about me; but just remember… you’ll be the one doing the hating – NOT ME!
Oh and btw… you can apply this principle to anything else we might disagree on.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I am not ready for the New Year that is almost upon us! Usually I’m gung-ho for it!
Actually that is not true. USUALLY I feel the NEED to be gung-ho and at the very least feel guilty for not being so. But not this year.
I started this post about 6 times and chucked it half way through each time. I’d start something different but kept coming back to this one only to rip it into shreds (or whatever the e-quivelent of that is). I even tried a version of this post in poetry form…
I’ve eaten so much, I feel I could burst
But still I’m not ready for January 1st
I’ve given up all I want to, or can
I’ve nothing to purge on the first day of Jan
I’m quickly coming to the dismal conclusion that tomorrow really is just another day!
I’ve written before about how I love a new notebook and how neat my writing is for about a day; then it’s back to my own version of hieroglyphics. Well my life follows a similar pattern.
I think my question is… what does it matter when by page 2, Amo will be back to her usual illegible scribble and scrawl !?
Why bother to start again with the – (delete as applicable) diet/prayer journal/financial rec./housework organisation/study timetable (nothing to delele there? nah me either!) when I keep making a total pig’s breakfast of the whole thing?
And I don’t have an answer to that question! Which is probably why I’ve not been able to finish the post. Heaven forefend that I should write something without an answer; or even a punchline.
On this New Year’s Eve, for the first time I can remember, I’m not looking to next year with an excited… ‘this could be the year everything changes’ attitude. And maybe that’s actually healthy.
The Bible tells us that the mercies of God are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-24) So if I was to start tomorrow and fail on Thursday, then start again on Saturday and fail again by Monday… well that’s ok cos I can always start again on the Tuesday… and so on. Well it’s what I did last year – so it can’t hurt.
In music(now try to stay with me here) – resolve means *** “to progress from adissonance [a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion] to a consonance [a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of repose].”
Today I find myself unresolved! I feel like I’m singing a scale and can’t find the last note. Try it…
Doh… Re… Mi… Fah… Soh… Lah… Ti… Ti… Ti… you know there is something that rounds off the scale but I can’t find that note.
Despite my harrumph-esque musings I do wish you all a really great New Year. I intend to celebrate the New Year’s arrival at a family shindig.
But I don’t promise to be any different tomorrow. Or the next day – or even the day after than.
I was going to write a blog post about how miserable I am at the moment. Lots of good reasons to be down in the dumps and a bit of an explanation as to why…
Then I heard that another teenager has taken her own life because of bullying and suddenly – well I’m just being a sap really!
I was bullied in school. Got all the ‘fatso’ jokes you can imagine. Got pushed around a bit. But I saw others get worse treatment and thankfully it never occurred to me NOT to say it to my mam and older sisters.
I wrote a post for Suicide Awareness Day this year. But just wanted to say that my thoughts and prayers are with that poor girl’s family. And with the many other young people in despair 😦
I’m also praying for bullies too – they need to realise what they are doing and STOP!
But I believe they are also victims.
If you’re reading this and you think there is no hope… there IS hope.
Get in touch with Pieta House, Samaritans, someone… anyone…
And thank you Lord for the reminder of my many blessings! ADDITIONAL NOTE… Somehow I totally forgot ot mention Console Ireland. They are another organisation helping those who are in suicidal crisis and those bereaved by suicide. They are this year’s beneficiary of funds raised by the Twitter Xmas Single.
For weeks now I’ve had a blog post about abortion rolling around my head and my heart. I’ve tried to ignore it. I threw it away several times. I’ve even said it out loud to myself to try to get it out of my system; but it hasn’t worked. I finally decided to write it and within days came the news of the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar and the child she was carrying. That stopped me in my tracks.
Suddenly abortion and X Case legislation were all over the news and current affairs programmes. Twitter went wild with accusation and counter accusation. I watched as people I love to follow argued and insulted each other. My stomach was sick and my heart ached every time I saw Savita’s beautiful face on the TV and the internet. And I thought to myself… “put it away Amo – this is not the time for your pale musings”.
But maybe it is time. Maybe this is exactly the time to say how I feel.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that I am pro-life. What you might not know about me is that I am childless. And have no chance of ever being a mammy. (Unless by some miracle I end up adopting. But having tried already to no avail, I can’t see that happening.)
But if you know me; if you’ve read my blog, or you follow me on Twitter, you will know that I am NOT a mad fundamentalist right-wing Christian who secretly hates women! I’m not just an over emotional 40 something with no kids and no hope of ever having them! I am capable of rationally discussing abortion. The reason I’ve hesitated is that I don’t want you to hate me. I don’t want you to say the horrible things that get said to people who are anti-abortion.
I’m not a member of any pro-life organisation as, to be honest I tend to feel a bit uncomfortable with their methods. I don’t like to see images of aborted fetuses. As well as a right to life, these babies have a right to some dignity. Images of their dead bodies on display are distasteful and an insult to that body.
I heard stories of people shouting “child killers” at the march for Savita at the weekend. And though I’m convinced there was pro-choice agenda-pushing going on, I would not condone shouting at people in the street.
There is no point in me going into much debated arguments about Savita’s case. Mainly as the full details are not known. But also because my words won’t make a difference. Those who agree/disagree as to whether this was a pregnancy that went terribly and tragically wrong, or death because of a denied abortion – well I’m not going to change anyone’s mind on that am I?! But it is a tragedy and should not have happened.
The original wish for this post was to say why abortion breaks my heart. I’ve already gone on for too long, so I’ll keep it brief! Abortion breaks my heart because I don’t have kids. I can’t, and there are people who can but don’t want to. It’s NOT a judgement on anyone. It makes me sad, not angry. Abortion breaks my heart because it sets women against women. I don’t know if it’s anger, guilt, indignance, or what…… but this debate makes women talk about other women in such a terrible and cruel way. And I mean on both sides of the argument. Abortion breaks my heart because of the love I have for the many kids in my life, my fabulous nieces and nephews and their kids. And others too. Abortion breaks my heart because I believe it breaks God’s heart.
I must say one other thing. The reaction to some of the pro-life commentators has been truly awful. I tweeted during the week that we’d all prefer not to have to listen to those we disagree with but if these issues are going to be discussed on TV and Radio then all sides of the argument are entitled to a voice or there’s no point.
I’ve said before – my opinion may be in the minority. But it’s still my opinion and I’m entitled to it.
And I’m going to express it – abortion breaks my heart!
2 people have died
Too much sadness
2, or maybe 20 opinions as to why
Insults start to fly
Hijack the agenda, rant and rave, play the blame game
Anger
Fury
Protest
Is it just one more thing to tweet wildly about?
Just another stick to beat the right with?
Another slur to hurl at the left?
How many really care about to the two people who died?
I’m so tired of it all
And God; what do you want me to do now?
This stuff makes me want to quit the tiny area of the public arena that I inhablt
And leave them all to devour each other
Blessed are the peacemakers, but no one wants a peacemaker today
I’m constantly doubting myself. Always second guessing and regretting what I did or didn’t say or do. Below is a journal entry I wrote frantically after making a mistake. A mistake by the way, which resolved itself quickly and wonderfully. But as I read back over my frazzled scribbles I wonder again and how easily I get worked up over stuff!
Can I just stay here please?
I feel like a total idiot today. I made a mistake. I actually have a chance to fix it but I’m not sure how. I want to turn the clock back. I want it to be this time yesterday. But I spend too much time wanting that. I make stupid mistakes. Usually when I’m happy and confident. When I’m like this I’m a bit paralysed. I’ve written half a response (which is already twice as long as it needs to be) and I can’t send it and I can’t delete it.
Why am I such an idiot? Why can’t I just stop when I’m supposed to stop. Instead of going too far and saying too much? Stupid Stupid Stupid woman!
And now I can’t write. Can’t write anything cos I have a stupidity cloud sitting on my head. I’ve a lump in my throat and I want to cry, I’m so bloody annoyed with myself.
What do I do now? I can’t turn the clock back, I can ask the other person to, but no matter what happens it’ll always be there. And asking to turn the clock back will draw more attention to it than if I just reply to the email casually.
But I can’t. I can’t casually blow it off. I want not to have received the email. Not for the person to feel they had to send it at all.
And quick as a flash it was sorted. Thank you Lord. The other person got in touch and actually felt like I did. “Lets’ turn the clock back 24 hrs” and we did. And it worked.
Drawing a line under that one; as I wait for the next one…
I’ve connected with a group of mad yokes on Twitter! They’re a motley crew of complainers and curmudgeons and I love them to bits. 😀 There’s quite a bit of ranting going on, but they are very respectful to me even though I don’t fully agree with them, and in fairness don’t fully understand them either.
I was tempted to start a revolution meself when I saw this on the road to Kenmare!
Some are looking for a revolution. Some are angry at our government. Most seem frustrated with the cuts that are chipping away at the best asset that Ireland has ever had – her people. It’s a passionate cry to ‘give Ireland back her heart’ as one guy puts it. Having grown up listening to my granny singing ‘rebel songs’, these guys remind me of the spirit of those old come-all-ye’s. Songs about the fight for freedom and justice that came with a huge cost but was never really won. The aching heart of the ‘fighting Irish’… it’s all there.
The other frustration for them is how few there are joining them in their ‘crusade’. The fact that I am responding and engaging in the conversation has earned me a bit of kudos I think! Today I was even offered the position of ‘Captain’! But I graciously declined it. 🙂 You see guys, I’m sorry but I can’t join your revolution.
I really don’t believe that is what God wants – not for me and not for Ireland. When I pray the ‘Our Father’, I ask for His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven. When the Kingdom of God came in the time of Jesus, it did not come as believers of God thought it would. It wasn’t a political overthrow. It was quiet person by person regeneration. Jesus didn’t come in and sweep the government to one side, changing the political scene from the top down (which He would have had the God given authority to do). No , Jesus came to the people and changed hearts and minds, encouraging us to change our communities – from the ground up and out!
The Bible tells me to pray for those who have been put in authority over me. It’s not easy, especially when I have so little faith in any of them, but it also tells me I’m to obey them and not rebel against them. It doesn’t mean I sit back and ignore what’s going on. But I can’t rant and rave and I can’t captain a revolution. Even though it sounds like fun 😉
Thanks for your friendship gang! Don’t give up hope on our country just yet. God’s got her firmly in His sights and He’s not finished with us. Yiz are in my prayers along with our native land.
And if you have one more minute to spare before it’s time to storm the gates 🙂 have a read of this…
Isaiah 42
A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick He will not snuff out!
1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”
After reading some articles on the use of photos online in blogs/Pinterest/Tumblr etc it occurred to me that I may not be using images properly. To be honest I’m not 100% sure about it all but in the interest of ‘best practise’ and to keep myself out of trouble I have removed and/or amended some images.
Never been a fan of change. Well, I’ve never been a fan of change to things I like. Please feel free to take all the things I don’t like and change them. Go on… off you go… 🙂
New filing system… 🙂
This post is really a tribute to former workmates. For the last few months I’ve been working from home. We’re in the process of packing up the office and the other day I got a pang of… ‘ohhh I’m gonna miss these guys.’ Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a big fan of my own company… I can regularly be found laughing at my own jokes and musing on my own hilariousness. (One of these days it’s going to get me into trouble tho…!)
So in honour of the last 5 years I wanted to send a tribute to the Dublin West Community Church folk that I’ve shared office life with.
Mervyn – (my boss for most of that time) Merv thanks for letting me boss you around and correct your spelling and grammar. I loved (and equally detested) your ability to sing the same one line of a song at regular intervals through the day. Highlights include “I am the one and only”, “Johnny’s got a boom boom,” and “It’s beautiful DAAAAY”! It was a special privilege to pray with you and see the providence of God lead you and Gladys to adopt Buhle! (After that, your one-liners went on to include… “ H R Puff n Stuff”!)
Weak Tea, with too much sugar and lots of milk coming up… 🙂
A real life, living, breathing, cute and precious answer to prayer! (I’m talking bout the one in the middle :D)Visit Third Space in Smithfield. You won’t regret it! Either will I… when I eventually get there…
Seán – You made me think about so many things I can’t actually list them. I’d have gladly sat and listened to you all day – even though I often disagreed with you! 🙂 Thanks for lending me lots of your books and when you moved on to other things, GIVING me lots of your books. And thanks for answering my questions, lots of which were stupid. I’m sorry I’ve never visited @thirdspace; but I will. Delighted that it’s going so well.
Rosemary – You weren’t there for very long after I started. But while you were there, things were very civilised. We used to stop and have lunch together at the table. It was very organised and calm… and all kinda fell apart when you left!!! Thanks for making me feel so welcome.
Dawn – I was sad when your weekly visits stopped. It was great to get to know you as a Dublin Westie as well as via the IBI connection. Thanks so much for taking time to share your Quickbooks wisdom – especially as numbers are the equivalent of a second language to me. Only for you I’d quite literally be lost.
Fraser – Da Frase! I don’t know whether you meant to or not but you regularly made me laugh! You sing out of tune! Your hair isn’t nearly as nice as David McWilliams’! You talk too loud when you’re doing your speech-type thing… “the grace of God, the GRACE, GRACE, of God FULL STOP, return return….” But it was a total hoot working with you. Especially during the ‘quote of the week’ phase we went through… my favourite is of course the legendary… “Jaaaaaaaney lads, it’s a disaster!” Oh and you sound like you’re from D4 but claim not to be… very suspicious…
Claire – I just love you missis. I wish I could put down here the subject matter of our conversations and how you’ve encouraged me, challenged and driven me around the bloody twist 🙂 Thanks for being at my grad and at my 40th – I love that you turn up when you say you will! I miss the craic with you. You brought some much needed oestrogen to the office but a surprising amount of testosterone too! I know we share some of the same demons! But you definitely have one or two I don’t have… and vice versa 😀
Dave – I will miss you mostest!
I think I shared office time and space with you more than anyone else over the last 5 years. You’re another one that taught me many things. But mostly about computers and music – I never managed to master your ‘running man’ moves tho. Our recording sessions in your gaff were brill. When I’m famous I promise to share the profits 🙂 Your heart for people is a blessing and a challenge to watch. When I was scared, awkward or just too busy to deal with the random folk that would wander in to the office, you made tea and sat with them and chatted. You’re a good man Dave, even though your daughter insists you are a ‘smelly Daddy’ 🙂
Other regular visits from Dublin Westies including Carolyn, Steve, Tom, Maro, Mark, Gwyneth and Aunty Anthea made for a great working life.
Thanks a mil Dublin West Community Church.
God bless the work! xx
Just another Christian woman... 